Banana Oatmeal Cookies

I love cookies, especially if they are healthy and don't make me feel guilty for snitchin'. In which case I will have two cookies with my coffee. And these have just a leetle bit of chocolate in them - mini chocolate chips, that is!

In a large bowl, cream sugar, softened butter, eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.

Add to cream mixture and mix.

In a separate bowl mash 3 ripe bananas and add to dough mixture.

Add oats, ground flax seed and mini chocolate chips.

Stir until well blended.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

Bakes at 375 degrees F for 10 -12 minutes.

Immediately remove cookies to wire racks to cool.

Tip: You can freeze these in a freezer bag and take out as needed. Just give them a few minutes to get to room temperature. Great for unexpected coffee guests!

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Banana Oatmeal Cookies

PRINT RECIPE

Prep: 10 minutes                      Level: Easy

Bake: 10 -12 minutes                 Makes: about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 medium bananas, mashed
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture. Stir in mashed bananas, oats, flax seed and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Bakes at 375 degrees F for 10 -12 minutes. Immediately remove cookies to wire racks to cool.

You can freeze these in a freezer bag and take out as needed. Just give them a few minutes to get to room temperature.

Church Windows

These cookies are so easy and festive and yummy and perfect for the Holidays or anytime of the year.

Oh, and there is no baking involved!

Double Oh! And they require three simple ingredients per batch: 

1 stick of butter

1 package of chocolate chips

1 package of mini marshmallows, your color choice

And they're my husband's favorite.

These cookies have been around for ages and may be called Church Windows or Stained Glass Windows or maybe where you are they are called something altogether different. The original recipe calls for nuts and coconut. I'm sure you can find those versions if you Google. But my family doesn't like nuts in their cookies and my husband doesn't care for the texture of coconut so this is my version and they are oh so good.

I was excited to discover not only multi-colored fruity flavored mini marshmallows, but I also found peppermint mini marshmallows, so I bought both. I had a cookie exchange to go to and needed 11 dozen cookies to bring.

First I put the stick of butter into a large microwavable glass mixing bowl and poured in the chocolate chips. I set the microwave to 2 minutes cooking time but opened the door every 30 seconds or so to take the bowl out and stir. Be aware the bowl may be hot! Don't cook longer than two minutes. Cook until the chocolate and butter mix together into a creamy consistency.

Perfect! Now, let it cool slightly.

I made my first batch with mini peppermint marshmallows. Pour the minis into another large mixing bowl.

Take your creamy chocolate mix and pour it over the marshmallows.

Mix it up good, then divide it into three parts.

Roll one part into a long roll on a sheet of wax paper.

Roll up the sides to meet in the middle and fold over a couple of times.

Twist the ends and tuck them under.

There's number one roll. Now do the same with the remaining parts. Chill the rolls for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Each roll should produce a dozen cookies.

I made my second batch the same way but used the multi-colored fruity mini marshmallows.

And did I mention how easy and festive and yummy and perfect for the Holidays or anytime of the year these cookies are?

Below is the crazy easy printable recipe!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 ounces, weight Chocolate Chips
• 1 stick Butter
• 10-½ ounces, weight Miniature Marshmallows, Color Of Your Choice

Preparation

In a large glass mixing bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter in the microwave for two minutes. Carefully take the bowl out every 30 seconds to stir. When the chocolate chips and butter mix together to make a creamy consistency – up to 2 minutes – take the bowl out of the microwave and let the mixture cool slightly. Add the marshmallows and mix well. Divide into 3 parts. Roll each part into a long roll on waxed paper. Wrap in waxed paper. Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Cut into slices and serve.
Each roll produces roughly 12 cookies.